First votes in vital poll notch up early boost for Clark

The retired army general Wesley Clark captured eight of the 15 votes cast for Democrats in the first balloting of the New Hampshire primary yesterday in the hamlet of Dixville Notch.

It gave his candidacy a symbolic boost before the rest of the state went to the polls.

"I'm grateful to be here and for the support here at Dixville Notch. This is a big step for me," said General Clark, who is making his first run for elected office.

All 26 registered voters in Dixville Notch cast ballots, 11 of them for the Republican President, George Bush.

Among Democrats, General Clark received eight votes, the Massachusetts senator John Kerry three, the North Carolina senator John Edwards two, and the Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman and the former Vermont governor Howard Dean one each.

Senator Kerry made an all-out effort on Monday to win support among late-deciding voters and ward off a challenge from Dr Dean after one poll showed Senator Kerry with a shrinking three-point lead.

Several other polls have shown Senator Kerry with a widening lead over Dr Dean in the country's first primary and a key step towards winning the Democratic nomination to challenge Mr Bush.

Voters in Dixville Notch braved freezing weather to uphold the town's 40-year-old tradition of being the first in the state to announce its results.

Every four years Dixville Notch, for a moment, becomes the centre of the US presidential campaign because it represents the first direct vote for a candidate.

In the Iowa caucuses a week earlier, voters chose delegates for the candidates.

Dixville Notch generally is referred to by political pundits as a tiny hamlet, but it is the home of the 6070-hectare Balsams Resort.